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Shea-Porter calls O’Connor allegation ‘sad, untruthful, desperate’

It was one of the most strongly-worded campaign messages we’ve seen in our many years covering New Hampshire politics.

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Updated: 12:23 AM EDT Apr 8, 2016

Shea-Porter calls O’Connor allegation ‘sad, untruthful, desperate’

It was one of the most strongly-worded campaign messages we’ve seen in our many years covering New Hampshire politics.

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Updated: 12:23 AM EDT Apr 8, 2016

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WEBVTT JEAN MACKIN HAS LATE REACTION FROM SHEA-PORTER. JEAN JEAN: CAROL SHEA-PORTER : CALLS THE COMPLAINT BAZAAR. SHAWN O'CONNOR IS ALLEGING HER TEAMS SPREAD WHAT HE CALLS FALSE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT HIM. TONIGHT HE IS DEMANDING AN APOLOGY. FIRST DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE SHAWN O'CONNOR SAYS HE IS THE VICTIM OF A WHISPER CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIM ALLEGING IT ORIGINATED FROM THE CAMP OF HIS OPPONENT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, CAROL SHEA PORTER. >> THERE WAS CONSTANT REPETITION OF THESE RUMORS AND THE RUMOR WAS THAT I WAS A PERPETRATOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WELL, ONLY ONE PERSON LEFT THE HOUSE ON A STRETCHER. JEAN: O'CONNOR ALLEGES PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE SHEA-PORTER CAMPAIGN TRIED TO SIDELINE HIS CAMPAIGN BY LABELING HIM AN ABUSER WHEN HE SAYS HE WAS ACTUALLY THE VICTIM. HE SAYS HE HAS A POLICE REPORT, MEDICAL RECORDS AND AN AFFIDAVIT DETAILING HOW HE WAS INJURED . >> I WAS A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. JEAN: IN A STATEMENT TONIGHT, SHEA-PORTER TOLD NEWS 9 -- THE WE STAND BY HER STATEMENT. THE STATEMENT FROM HER CAMPAIGN MANAGER CALLED THE ALLEGATIONS A SAD, UNTRUTHFUL, AND DESPERATE ATTACK. WHILE STATE SENATOR DAVID PIERCE SAYS SOMEONE IN THE INNER CIRCLE OF THE SHEA-PORTER CAMPAIGN DID TRY TO DISCOURAGE HIM FROM SUPPORTING O'CONNOR BY WHISPERING RUMORS. >> CALLING THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC ABUSE A PERPETRATOR -- THAT'S WHAT I CONSIDER CHARACTER ASSASSINATION. AGAIN, I HAVE NO EVIDENCE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THAT CAROL KNEW THIS WAS GOING ON. JEAN: SHAWN O'CONNOR TELLS NEWS 9 HE TRIED TO SETTLE THE CONTROVERSY PRIVATELY, THAT LAWYERS FOR BOTH CAMPAIGNS WERE INVOLVED, BUT NO RESOLUTION. NOW HE'S ASKING FOR AN APOLOGY FROM CAROL SHEA-PORTER. >> SHE NEEDS TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE, NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT TO THE MILLIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. SHE NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE. JEAN: TONIGHT, SHAWN O'CONNOR TELLS NEWS9 HE PLANS TO FILE A DEFAMATION SUIT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.